1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to labeling tags for plants, and more particularly to labeling tags in a configured to permit printing thereof utilizing a tractor feed printer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is common to label plants in nurseries, gardens and the like with small, elongate labels which are attached to a stem of the plant. Such labeling tags are generally made from a thin, stiff treated cardboard or plastic material and may include an opening punched at a first end. Such labels are wrapped around the plant stem and a second end inserted through the opening in the opposite first end with notches along a longitudinal edge to secure the labeling tag once it is attached. To minimize the time required to attach such labeling tags to plants in nurseries where large numbers of plants must be labeled, a labeling tag has been developed which has a hole punched in one end thereof of a size to encircle the largest stem desired with a split or slot extending from the outer edge of the tag into the hole. With this style of tag, the user grasps the tag adjacent the hole and pushes the stem into the opening via the slot. Thus, this style labeling tag can be attached to a plant very quickly.
In many large nurseries, it is necessary to print identification information on a large number of labeling tags. Therefore, it is known to prepare rolls of tags lightly joined along longitudinal edges such that they can be fed through a tractor feed printer by means of sprocket holes. While this technique is satisfactory on some types of tags, the preferred split end type labeling tag is found to have a tendency to hang up in the printer due to the split at one end. This problem is due to the tendency for the split portion to lift off of the printer platen as the tag traverses the cylindrical platen.
Thus, there is a need for a plant labeling tag which can be quickly attached to a plant and which can be fed through a tractor feed printer.